Shape Patents (Class 362/628)
  • Patent number: 8282259
    Abstract: The light-guide plate has an extended portion. The extended portion has a recess formed in a thickness direction, and the optical sensor is arranged within the recess.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: NLT Technologies, Ltd.
    Inventor: Hideki Itaya
  • Patent number: 8282261
    Abstract: There are provided systems, devices and methods for operating a light source to match a white point of ambient light. In one embodiment, a light control system is provided. The light control system includes a light source and a light sensor. The light sensor is configured to operate in conjunction with the light source to provide a visual effect. A controller is electrically coupled to the light source and the light sensor and configured to determine the intensity and color of light to which the light sensor is exposed and dynamically adjust the output of the light source to match the determined intensity and color of light to which the light sensor is exposed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Apple, Inc.
    Inventors: Aleksandar Pance, Duncan Kerr, Brett Bilbrey, Brandon Dean Slack, Reese T. Cutler
  • Patent number: 8282260
    Abstract: A display apparatus includes a display panel, a light source and a plurality of a light guiding plate. The LGP includes light incident, counter, light emitting and rear surfaces. The counter and rear surfaces are respectively opposite to the light incident and light emitting surfaces. The light emitting surface includes an ineffective light emitting area making contact with the light incident surface and an effective light emitting area connecting the ineffective light emitting area with the counter surface. The counter surface of a first light guiding plate is disposed overlapping the light incident surface of a second light guiding plate along a first direction, so that the rear surface partially overlaps with the effective light emitting area of the second light guiding plate, and the light guiding plates collectively form a light guiding plate array along the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Heu-Gon Kim, Byung-Seo Yoon, Taek-Sun Shin, In-Sun Hwang
  • Patent number: 8272773
    Abstract: An illuminating device acceding to the present invention has light sources, a light guide body which emits lights incident from the light sources, and a blurring structure, and, on the surface opposing to the emission surface of the light guide body, the light deflection elements which guide lights incident from the light sources toward the emission surface are formed regularly in two-dimensional direction of the first direction and second direction. The blurring structure has a function of blurring the light deflection elements regularly formed in the two-dimensional direction, and this blurring structure converts incident lights into linear lights inclined in the direction of the angle ? with respect to the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: Toppan Printing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomohiro Nakagome, Luis Manuel Murillo-Mora, Yu Ookubo
  • Patent number: 8272774
    Abstract: A light guiding plate to enhance uniformity of brightness and a backlight assembly and a display device having the same in one or more embodiments. In one embodiment, the light guiding plate includes a plurality of the linear shaped prisms on a back surface thereof, and the linear shaped prisms are omitted partially at the incident portion of the light guiding plate such that a non-prism area, connection area, and prism area are formed in stated order from the incident portion end on the back surface of the light guiding plate. Therefore, the display device having the light guiding plate is adapted to increase a uniformity of brightness of the edge type backlight, and the display quality can be improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sang-Min Yi, Young-Bee Chu, Jeong-Min Seo, Jae-Lok Cha, Ah-Ram Lee
  • Patent number: 8267566
    Abstract: A planar lighting device comprises: a light guide plate including a concave rectangular light exit plane, two light entrance planes containing two opposite sides of the light exit plane and disposed opposite each other, two symmetrical inclined planes opposing to the light exit plane such that their distance from the light exit plane increases with the increasing distance from the two light entrance planes toward the center of the light exit plane, a curved portion connecting the two inclined planes; two light sources respectively disposed opposite the two light entrance planes for emitting light to enter the light into the light guide plate through the light entrance planes; and sliding mechanisms allowing the light sources to slide in a direction parallel to the light entrance planes of the light guide plate to absorb the expansion and contraction of the light sources along the length thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Osamu Iwasaki
  • Patent number: 8267563
    Abstract: A backlight unit includes; a plurality of point light sources, a light guide plate including lateral sides and main planes substantially perpendicular to the lateral sides, and a printed circuit board on which the point light sources are mounted. At least one side of the light guide plate includes a first plane, which does not correspond to the point light sources, and a light incident plane corresponding to the point light sources and having a predetermined inclination angle with respect to the first plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: JooYoung Kim, Sung-Kyu Shim, Kwang-Wook Choi, Hyoung-Joo Kim
  • Patent number: 8253875
    Abstract: A backlight assembly and a liquid crystal device having the same. The backlight assembly includes a light guide plate, a first mold frame integrally formed with the light guide plate, a light source unit disposed on at least one side of the light guide plate and comprising a light source spaced apart from the at least one side of the light guide plate and a light reflector surrounding the light source and connected to the light guide plate, a light reflector surrounding the light source and connected to the light guide plate, and a second mold frame connected to the first mold frame and disposed on the light reflector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tae Seok Kim
  • Patent number: 8251561
    Abstract: A backlight is provided for illuminating an at least partially transmissive display. The backlight includes a light source. A lightguide receives the light from an edge surface and guides the light by total internal reflection. The lightguide also has features that exist on one or more lightguide surfaces in the shape of a triangular wedge that reduces the range of angles in the vertical direction within the lightguide. This arrangement enables improved angular performance from out-coupled light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: David J. Montgomery, Ioannis Papakonstantinou
  • Patent number: 8246236
    Abstract: A light guide loop includes a number of optical coupling structures and a number of luminaries. Each of the optical coupling structures includes a light incident surface and a reflecting surface. The luminaries are respectively facing the light incident surfaces of the optical coupling for emitting light to the optical coupling structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jen-Tsorng Chang
  • Publication number: 20120206938
    Abstract: The invention relates to a light-guide (100), an illumination system (200), a luminaire (400), a scanning backlight system (200) and a display device. The light-guide comprises a plurality of light-guide segments (10), each light-guide segment being substantially optically separated from a neighboring light-guide segment. Each light-guide segment comprises light-extraction means (40) for extracting at least part of the distributed light via a front wall (20) to illuminate in operation a light output window (220). A distance (D) between the front wall and the light output window being smaller at a center (C) of the front wall compared to a predefined edge (50) of the front wall. The predefined edge of the front wall is an edge at which the light-guide segment is arranged adjacent to the neighboring light-guide segment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2010
    Publication date: August 16, 2012
    Applicant: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS N.V.
    Inventors: Gabriel-Eugen Onac, Marcellinus Petrus Carolus Michael Krijn
  • Patent number: 8240903
    Abstract: An electronic device includes a semitransparent housing and a light module. The light module is mounted in the housing, and includes a light source, a light guide, and a light tight shield. The light guide includes a logo. The light tight shield covers the light guide, and defines an opening aligned with and exposing the logo to the housing. Light emitted by the light source illuminates the logo through the light guide and spreads out from the opening. The logo is not visible when not being illuminated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignees: Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (ShenZhen) Co., Ltd., Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Zhi-Liang Wu, Kenneth Zhao, Chi-Hsien Fong
  • Patent number: 8220979
    Abstract: A light guide plate includes a plate-shaped transparent body and a plurality of stripe-shaped planar structures. The plate-shaped transparent body is bent to form a top portion, a bottom portion, and a curved portion connected between the top portion and the bottom portion, and the top portion and the bottom portion are substantially parallel to each other and define a gap therebetween. The stripe-shaped planar structures are connected with each other on an outer surface of the curved portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Young Lighting Technology Inc.
    Inventors: Liang-Kang Chang, Yu-Chuan Wen
  • Patent number: 8210731
    Abstract: The transparent light guide plate includes a rectangular light exit surface, a thick portion positioned at substantially a central portion of the surface, thin edge portions formed in parallel on both sides of the thick portion, a parallel groove accommodating a bar-like light source and being formed at substantially a center of the thick portion and inclined rear portions whose thickness is reduced from the thick portion toward the thin edge portions. An end portion of the groove is narrowed toward the surface symmetrically to a center line of the groove in a sectional shape thereof according to a ratio of a peak value of illuminance or luminance of emitted light at a first portion of the surface corresponding to the groove to an average value thereof at second portions corresponding to the inclined rear portions. The planar lighting device includes the light guide plate. The liquid crystal display device includes the planar lighting device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Osamu Iwasaki
  • Patent number: 8210730
    Abstract: A light guide plate includes a light introducing portion which is positioned facing a point light source and which confines light, and a light guide plate body which is thinner than a maximum thickness of the light introducing portion and which causes a light exit means to emit the confined light outward. The light introducing portion has an inclined face which is inclined from a portion having the maximum thickness to a surface of the light guide plate body. The inclined face includes a directivity converting pattern for converting a directional characteristic of the light that has entered the light introducing portion. The directivity converting pattern's structure includes a plurality of V-shaped grooves. An inscribed circle of the directivity converting pattern passes through both ends of a light exit window of the point light source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: OMRON Corporation
    Inventors: Gouo Kurata, Kazuhide Hirota
  • Patent number: 8210732
    Abstract: A light guide plate includes a light exit plane and a light entrance end, is formed into a shape having a thickness in a direction orthogonal to the light exit plane, the thickness being gradually larger as being farther from the light entrance end, and contains scattering particles dispersed therein, and a light guide plate assembly includes the light guide plate and a prism sheet which includes a plurality of prisms arrayed in parallel with each other, and is arranged so that vertex angles of the prisms face the light exit plane. The scattering particles scatter light entering from the light entrance end and propagating in the light guide plate, which satisfy Expressions (1) and (2) below, and vertex angles of the prisms of the prism satisfy Expression (3) and (4) below. 1.1??NPLGKC?8.2??(1) 0.005?KC?0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Takamitsu Okumura, Toshiaki Endo
  • Patent number: 8210700
    Abstract: A backlight module including a housing, a first reflector plate, a light guide plate, a second reflector plate and at least one light bar is provided. The first reflector plate is disposed on a bottom of the housing, and the light guide plate is disposed within the housing. The light guide plate includes a first optical surface, a second optical surface and a light emitting surface, and the first optical surface is adjacent to the first reflector plate. The second reflector plate is adjacent to the second optical surface of the light guide plate. The light bar is disposed between the first reflector plate and the light guide plate, and the light bar is opposite to the second optical surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Chunghwa Picture Tubes, Ltd.
    Inventors: Chin-Hsing Cho, Tsao-Yuan Fu
  • Patent number: 8197112
    Abstract: A backlight assembly includes: a light guide plate having a light entering surface, a light facing surface that is substantially parallel to the light entering surface, a light emitting surface connecting first edges of the light entering surface and the light facing surface, and a bottom surface connecting second edges of the light entering surface and the light facing surface. A light source unit provides light to the light entering surface. At least one color sensor is disposed to receive light from the light guide plate, and at least one light amplifying member is disposed between the light guide plate and the color sensor to collect and concentrate the light from the light guide plate on the color sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sang-hoon Park, Young-joo Nam, Dong-gyun Ra
  • Patent number: 8189973
    Abstract: Embodiments of optical collimators are disclosed. For example, one disclosed embodiment comprises an optical waveguide having a first end, a second end opposing the first end, a viewing surface extending at least partially between the first end and the second end, and a back surface opposing the viewing surface. The viewing surface comprises a first critical angle of internal reflection, and the back surface is configured to be reflective at the first critical angle of internal reflection. Further, a collimating end reflector comprising a faceted lens structure having a plurality of facets is disposed at the second end of the optical waveguide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Adrian Travis, Timothy Large, Neil Emerton, Steven Bathiche
  • Publication number: 20120127758
    Abstract: A light guide member has a main body formed of material having translucency. The main body extends from a first end to a second end in an extending direction. The first end is configured to have light from a light source enter. A vertical cross-section of the main body in a plane perpendicular to the extending direction is formed in a shape of a fan.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2011
    Publication date: May 24, 2012
    Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Atsushi Ishigami
  • Patent number: 8172447
    Abstract: In one aspect, a light-emitting surface includes a plurality of discrete, substantially flat light-emitting illumination devices arranged in a tiled configuration. Each device has a light-emitting area and an unilluminated area, the light-emitting area of a first device occluding at least a portion of the unilluminated area of a second, adjacent device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: Oree, Inc.
    Inventors: Noam Meir, Micha Zimmermann
  • Patent number: 8162525
    Abstract: A light guide plate and a display apparatus are disclosed. The light guide plate comprises a first portion and a second portion. The first portion includes a light output surface. The second portion is formed on one end of the first portion to guide light into the first portion, wherein the second portion includes a light input surface adjacent to at least one light source, a first reflection surface and a second reflection surface adjacent to the first reflection surface, and the light input surface and the light output surface are substantially in the form of an L-shape. The light guide plate is applicable to the display apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignees: AU Optronics (Suzhou) Corp, AU Optronics Corp
    Inventors: Liang Shen, Guan-chen Zhu, Dong-mei Pan
  • Patent number: 8160409
    Abstract: A light guide of the tapered-waveguide type includes an input slab (30) for expanding a projected image between an input end and an output end, and an output slab (10) arranged to receive rays from the said output end, and to emit them at a point on its face that corresponds to the angle at which the ray is received. The input slab and output waveguide are matched so that all rays injected into the input end undergo the same number of reflections before leaving the output surface. With the invention the input slab (30) is itself tapered slightly towards the output waveguide. This means that input and output waveguides can be made the same length, in the direction of ray travel, and can therefore be folded over each other with no wasted space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventor: Timothy Large
  • Patent number: 8152317
    Abstract: A light source device includes an optical element 22 having a first face 1 opposed to a solid light emitting element 21. The optical element 22 includes second and third faces 2, 3 opposing in parallel to each other and both substantially perpendicular to the first face 1, a fourth face 4 substantially perpendicular to the second and third faces 2, 3 and also obliquely-opposed to the first face 1 and a fifth face 5 as an exit face. The fifth face 5 has an area smaller than an area of a light emitting face of the solid light emitting element 21. The light source device further includes a polarization converting element 42 having an incident surface opposing in substantially-parallel to the fifth face 5 through a space, polarization separating elements 43 for separating incident light from the optical element 22 in polarization, a first reflecting surface 45 for reflecting one of polarization-separated fluxes and wave plates 44 for converting either of phases of the polarization-separated fluxes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: Victor Company of Japan, Limited
    Inventors: Naoya Okamoto, Ryosuke Nakagoshi, Ryusaku Takahashi, Takatsugu Aizaki, Tadashi Furukawa
  • Patent number: 8155489
    Abstract: A light distributing device (100) comprises a thin planar waveguide (10) and a waveguiding ridge (20). An incoming light beam (B1) coupled into the ridge (20) forms a second light beam (B2) waveguided in the ridge (20). The ridge (20) and the planar waveguide (10) have a common portion (23) such that light is further coupled from the side of the ridge (20) into the planar waveguide (10) through said common portion (23). Thus, optical power of a broad incoming beam (B1) may be effectively coupled to a relatively thin planar waveguide (10). The planar waveguide (10) may further comprise diffractive out-coupling elements (30) to direct light towards a display (400).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: Nokia Corporation
    Inventors: Pasi Risto Olavi Saarikko, Tapani Kalervo Levola, Pauli Laitinen
  • Patent number: 8147112
    Abstract: A backlight assembly is suitable for emitting uniform flat light. The backlight assembly causes light from a lamp to travel in the form of flat light using a light guide plate disposed to have one plane facing the lamp. The light guide plate includes one or more rounded portions at one or more edges of an incident plane thereof onto which the light from the lamp is incident, and the one or more rounded portions cause the light from the lamp to travel into the light guide plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: LG Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Whi Keug Jung
  • Patent number: 8132954
    Abstract: The planar lighting device includes a light guide plate having the light exit plane, two pairs of light entrance planes formed at the four sides of the light exit plane, and rear planes formed opposite to the light exit plane and inclined such that the light guide plate grows thicker toward the center thereof, a pair of main light sources and a pair of auxiliary light sources disposed opposite their respective light entrance planes to emit light to the respective light entrance planes, and illuminance distribution control unit to adjust the amount of light emitted by the main and auxiliary light sources to form a designated local illuminance distribution for any position desired in the light exit plane. The planar lighting device performs area control and line control to adjust illuminance at a light exit plane for any area desired and along any line desired, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation
    Inventor: Osamu Iwasaki
  • Patent number: 8118465
    Abstract: There is provided a spread illuminating apparatus including an LED, a light guide plate and a flexible printed circuit board on which the LED is mounted, wherein the light guide plate includes: a light entrance end surface at which the light source is disposed; a light emitting portion from which light emitted from the light source and introduced into the light guide plate exits out in a spread manner; a slope portion which is disposed between the light entrance end surface and the light emitting portion and which has a thickness decreasing toward the light emitting portion; and a seat block disposed at the slope portion and configured to fixedly receive the flexible printed circuit board. In the spread illuminating apparatus, the length of the slope portion is substantially 1.78 times as large as the largest thickness of the slope portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Assignee: Minebea Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toru Kunimochi, Ryohei Takayama, Akiko Suma
  • Patent number: 8109666
    Abstract: A light guide member of the present invention is made of a light transmitting material. The light guide includes a light emitting surface 13, which extends in direction x and includes a lens surface 31 for converging light in direction y. The light guide also includes a light incident surface 11 provided at one of the ends spaced from each other in the direction x. The light emitting surface 13 includes a transitional region 13a adjacent to the light incident surface 11, where the transitional region includes the lens surface 31 and a round pillar surface 32. In the transitional region 13a, the lens surface 31 becomes less dominant in area as proceeding in the direction x toward the light incident surface 11.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2012
    Assignee: Rohm Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideki Sawada, Norihiro Imamura, Motoari Shoji
  • Patent number: 8092066
    Abstract: A surface light source device improves the quality of illumination without producing dark lines between neighboring light guide plates even when a plurality of light guide plates are used in combination. This surface light source device is formed by combining a plurality of LED/light guide plate units, and light guide plate (4) has: light emitting area (8) of a square shape from a plan view; extended area (10) which is positioned extending outward from a pair of neighboring sides (8a) and (8b) in four sides (8a) to (8d) defining the outer rim of this light emitting area (8); and incidence surface area (11) on which light from LED (6) is incident. Each light guide plate (4) has a symmetrical shape with respect to one of the diagonal lines of light emitting area (8), and is combined by making its orientation uniform in the same direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Enplas Corporation
    Inventor: Yasutaka Higuchi
  • Publication number: 20110317448
    Abstract: A low profile backlit graphic display device enables a user to display an illuminated graphic hung from the user's neck. The device comprises a housing, a light source assembly, and a number of optical element panels. The housing comprises housing edging, an assembly-receiving cavity, and a coupler-receiving aperture. The housing edging defines a panel-receiving section in anterior adjacency to the assembly-receiving cavity. The light source assembly is receivable in the assembly-receiving cavity. The panels may include a reflector panel, a light guide panel, and an interchangeable graphic panel. The panels are positionable in anterior adjacency to the assembly-receiving cavity within a panel-receiving section. The graphic panel is positionable in anterior adjacency to the light guide panel for illuminating a graphic by way of panel-guided light. A lanyard assembly is attachable to the coupler-receiving aperture and wearable about the neck for enabling the user to display a neck-hung illuminated graphic.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2011
    Publication date: December 29, 2011
    Inventor: George O. Podd
  • Patent number: 8085359
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display is provided. The liquid crystal display includes a liquid crystal display panel having pixels configured to form an image; and a backlight system proximate to the liquid crystal display panel and configured to illuminate the pixels of the liquid crystal display panel. The backlight system includes a light guide including a plate portion generally parallel to the liquid crystal display panel and a first side portion extending generally perpendicularly from the plate portion, a light source configured to emit light into the light guide via the first side portion, and a heat sink coupled to the light source and configured to remove heat generated by the light source during operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Scot Olson, Brent D. Larson
  • Patent number: 8064743
    Abstract: In one aspect, a planar illumination area includes two light-guide elements, each with an out-coupling region. At least a portion of each out-coupling region overlaps with at least a portion of the other. The overlapping region emits a substantially uniform light output power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: Oree, Inc.
    Inventors: Noam Meir, Micha Zimmermann, Yosi Shani
  • Patent number: 8061883
    Abstract: In one form, there is a luminaire for providing uniform color and brightness from multiple small light sources, which includes a shallow plate of transparent material having a first surface which is substantially flat, and a second surface which includes patterned planes acutely disposed to the first surface. Each second surface is adjacent to an entry face into which light from the multiple small light sources is projected into the plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Inventor: Jerome H. Simon
  • Patent number: 8057085
    Abstract: An illumination apparatus includes at least one light source for outputting light, a light guide for guiding light input from the at least one light source through multiple reflections in the light guide, at least one groove formed on the light guide to reflect incident light, and a light extraction pattern formed on a surface of the light guide to output the incident light to an exterior of the light guide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Joo-Hoon Lee, Sun-Tae Jung
  • Patent number: 8057087
    Abstract: An exemplary light source module includes a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB), a number of light emitting diodes (LEDs), and a light guide plate (LGP). The LEDs are mounted on the PCB, which is capable of switching each of the LEDs on and off. The LGP includes a light input surface and a number of light output surfaces. The light input surface is opposite to the LEDs. The LEDs face the light input surfaces, and at least one light guide structure is defined at the light input surface so that a majority of light beams from each LED pass substantially perpendicularly through a corresponding portion of the at least one light guide structure and exit from a corresponding light output surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jen-Tsorng Chang
  • Patent number: 8052315
    Abstract: It is an object to provide a planar illumination device that is thin and light weight, and can emit uniform illumination light with little brightness unevenness and can be enlarged in size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Osamu Iwasaki
  • Patent number: 8033709
    Abstract: A light guide plate for a liquid crystal display is disclosed. The light guide plate is adapted for use in a side-light emission type of backlight module. The light guide plate comprises a light incidence face that has at least one surface having at least one annular protrusion or recess, thereby enhancing the capability of light diffusion, uniformity of the light distribution, as well as promoting brightness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2011
    Assignee: Au Optronics Corp.
    Inventors: Ko-Chia Kao, Chih-Kuang Chen
  • Patent number: 8033710
    Abstract: A plurality of mirror surfaces (5), which extend in a direction (X-axis direction) perpendicular to a light incident surface (2a), are formed side by side in a longitudinal direction (Y-axis direction) of the light incident surface (2a) on a light distribution control surface (4a) of both surfaces (4a, 4b) of a light guide plate (1) in a thickness direction (Z-axis direction) thereof, and a plurality of prisms (7) extending in the Y-axis direction are formed side by side in the X-axis direction in areas other than the mirror surfaces (5). The mirror surfaces 5 are formed in such a way that Y-axis direction widths thereof vary in the X-axis direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2011
    Assignee: Stanley Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Atsushi Omori, Michiyo Tokita
  • Publication number: 20110242850
    Abstract: The present invention provides a light guide plate having an input surface for receiving light from a light source, a micro-patterned output surface for emitting light, and a micro-patterned bottom surface opposing to the output surface, made in steps comprising: extruding a resin into the nip between a patterned roller and a patterned carrier film at a nip pressure P1, to form an optical sheet, the optical sheet having a first patterned surface and a second patterned surface, the first patterned surface having a micro-pattern transferred from the patterned roller and the second patterned surface having a micro-pattern transferred from the patterned carrier film, peeling off the patterned carrier film from the optical sheet; and cutting and finishing the said optical sheet into a plurality of double-sided light guide plates having the specified length and width dimensions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 6, 2010
    Publication date: October 6, 2011
    Applicant: SKC Haas Display Films Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Herong LEI, Michael R. LANDRY, Xiang-Dong MI, Jehuda GREENER
  • Publication number: 20110242851
    Abstract: The present invention provides a light guide plate having an input surface for receiving light from a light source, a micro-patterned output surface for emitting light, and a micro-patterned bottom surface opposing to the output surface. The invention provides extruding a resin into the nip between a first patterned roller and a second patterned roller at a first patterned roller surface temperature T1, a second patterned roller temperature T2, and a nip pressure P1, to form an optical sheet, the optical sheet having a first patterned surface and a second patterned surface, the first patterned surface having a pattern transferred from the first patterned roller and the second patterned surface having a pattern transferred from the second patterned roller, and cutting and finishing the said optical sheet into a plurality of double-sided light guide plates having the specified length and width dimensions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 6, 2010
    Publication date: October 6, 2011
    Applicant: SKC Haas Display Films Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Michael R. LANDRY, Herong LEI, Jehuda GREENER, Xiang-Dong MI
  • Publication number: 20110242849
    Abstract: The present invention provides a light guide plate having an input surface for receiving light from a light source, a micro-patterned output surface for emitting light, and a micro-patterned bottom surface opposing to the output surface, made in steps comprising: extruding a first resin into the nip between a first pressure roller and a first patterned roller to form a first layer. Extruding a second resin into the nip between a second pressure roller and a second patterned roller and onto the unpatterned surface of the first layer to form a second layer. The second layer having a pattern transferred from the second patterned roller; the combined first and second layers form an optical sheet comprising a plurality of light guide plate patterns and cutting and finishing the optical sheet into a plurality of double-sided light guide plates having the specified length and width dimensions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2010
    Publication date: October 6, 2011
    Applicant: SKC Haas Display Films Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Herong LEI, Michael R. Landry, Xiang-Dong Mi, Jehuda Greener
  • Publication number: 20110228562
    Abstract: Embodiments of optical collimators are disclosed. For example, one disclosed embodiment comprises an optical waveguide having a first end, a second end opposing the first end, a viewing surface extending at least partially between the first end and the second end, and a back surface opposing the viewing surface. The viewing surface comprises a first critical angle of internal reflection, and the back surface is configured to be reflective at the first critical angle of internal reflection. Further, a collimating end reflector comprising a faceted lens structure having a plurality of facets is disposed at the second end of the optical waveguide.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2011
    Publication date: September 22, 2011
    Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Adrian Travis, Timothy Large, Neil Emerton, Steven Bathiche
  • Patent number: 8016473
    Abstract: A device (100) for diffusing light comprising a light guide (101), light input means (102), and light output means (103). The light input (102) and light output (103) means are connected to the light guide (101), and the device (100) is arranged to allow light of at least two separate frequencies from a light source (108, 109, 110) to enter the light guide (101) through the light input means (102), propagate through said light guide (101) and exit at the light output means (103). The light guide (101) is circumferential, such that light is allowed to propagate for a distance greater than the external dimensions of said light guide (101) before reaching the output means (103), and hence, producing a mix of the light from said at least two frequencies. A display apparatus in which the invention is implemented is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventors: Bart Andre Salters, Marcellinus Petrus Carolus Michael Krijn
  • Patent number: 8016475
    Abstract: A selectively light-reflecting sheet (30) includes a prismatic film (1) with parallel prisms (10) on its face, a low-index film (3) on the prisms and a layer (5) on the low-index film, this layer having a substantially flat surface. This results in a low effective index, which means that light incident at steeper angles on the prismatic film (1) will pass through it. This “leaky” effect can be used in conjunction with a reflector sheet (20) in a tapered-waveguide arrangement to construct a lightweight backlight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventor: Adrian Travis
  • Patent number: 8011820
    Abstract: A wireless communication device includes a plurality of light sources and a light guide including a light guiding element and a light shielding element. The light guiding element includes a plurality of guiding portions. Each guiding portion includes an expander having a first end corresponding to a respective one of the light sources and a second end opposite to the first end. The second ends of the expanders collectively form a continuous end surface. At least one cavity is defined between each two neighboring guiding portions. The light shielding element includes at least one shielding portion received in the at least one cavity to prevent light interference between the plurality of guiding portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jiunn-Her Li
  • Patent number: 8007160
    Abstract: Disclosed are a light guide which distributes light, transmitted from a light source, uniformly to a light emission surface of the light guide, and a display device and an image forming apparatus using the light guide. The light guide includes a light incidence part having a diffusion structure diffusing light, a reflecting surface reflecting the light diffused by the diffusion structure to reduce a light loss from the light guide, and a light guide part guiding light between the light incidence part and the light emission part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: SAMSUNG Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kyung Rok Kim
  • Publication number: 20110187942
    Abstract: A backlight unit 12 includes LEDs 16 and alight guide plate 18. The LEDs 16 includes a light emitting surface 16a. The light guide plate 18 includes a light entrance surface 34 disposed so as to face the light emitting surface 16a and through which light from the light emitting surface 16a enters and a light exit surface 34 through which the light exits. The light emitting surface 16a and the light entrance surface 34 are formed to be curved and an AR coating process is performed on the light entrance surface 34 as an optical process. An AR coating layer 47 is formed on the light entrance surface 34. Accordingly, improved brightness is achieved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2009
    Publication date: August 4, 2011
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shiyoshi Cho
  • Patent number: 7976209
    Abstract: The planar lighting device includes, in addition to light sources, a light exit plane, a pair of light entrance planes formed on a pair of sides of the light exit plane, and a rear plane composed of a pair of inclined planes formed on a side opposite from the light exit plane such that the light guide plate grows thicker with an increasing distance from the light entrance planes toward the center. The light guide plate contains light scattering particles satisfying Npi>Np, where Npi is the particle density in a region of space within a given range of the light guide plate and Np the density in the other region of space. The planar lighting device with minimized brightness unevenness liable to develop near the light entrance planes when the light exit plane has great dimensions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation
    Inventors: Osamu Iwasaki, Ryuichi Katsumoto
  • Patent number: 7976208
    Abstract: A light guide with input and output faces 2, 3a is polar-symmetric about the first face 2 and has optical properties such that the angle at which a ray is injected into the first face determines the position at which it leaves the second face 3a, or, if operated in the reverse direction, the position at which the ray enters the second face determines the angle at which the ray leaves the second face. The light guide includes a tapered transparent sheet 3, light from the first face entering at the thick end of this sheet, and the second face forming one face of the tapered sheet. An input/output slab 4 adjoins the tapered sheet 3 for fan-out of light from the first face 2 to the tapered sheet, and a transition region 8 is located between flat and tapered sheets. The polar symmetry means that light rays always travel in line with the taper direction, which suppresses banding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventor: Adrian R. L. Travis